Mini Sourdough Loaves
If a crusty sourdough loaf and a dinner roll had a baby, this would be it.
These mini sourdough loaves bake up with a golden, crisp exterior and a soft, fluffy crumb inside. The muffin tin gives them their signature sourdough loaf shape, but they’re in the cutest personal size.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients (makes 24)
1000g bread flour
700g water
240g active sourdough starter
20g salt
Tools
Digital kitchen scale
Clean kitchen towel
Mixing bowl
Bench scraper
4 muffin tins
Scoring Knife
Cooling rack
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the flour, water, active starter, and salt. Mix by hand or with a dough whisk until you see no dry bits. The dough will look shaggy and slightly sticky. Cover with a damp towel and rest in a warm place for 1 hour.
Hauste Hint: If your kitchen is cool, place the bowl in your (off) oven with just the light on and the door cracked. It keeps the dough cozy for fermentation.
Step 2
To build strength in your dough, perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch & folds, 1 hour apart:
With wet hands, grab one side of the dough and stretch it upward.
Fold it over itself.
Rotate the bowl and repeat 4-6 times.
With each set, the dough becomes smoother, more elastic, and easier to handle.
Step 3
After the final fold, let the dough rise in a warm spot for 2-3 more hours, or until it’s:
noticeably puffy
jiggly when shaken
smooth
50-70% larger than when you started
Step 4
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use a bench scraper to divide it into 24 pieces (about 80g each).
To shape each roll:
Fold the four corners of the dough into the center to create a loose ball.
Flip seam-side down.
Cup your hands around the dough and make small circular “scooping” motions to build surface tension.
Step 5
Lightly grease two muffin tins. Place one dough ball into each well. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours). The slow cold proof deepens flavor and gives you rolls with their best, fluffiest texture.
Step 6
In the morning, preheat your oven to 450°F. Place an empty muffin tin on top of the rolls. This acts like a Dutch oven when baking a normal size loaf to trap steam and encourage an even rise.
Step 7
Bake for 20 minutes at 450°F (covered). Then remove top pan and decrease the temp to 400°F and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes until golden. Let cool on a cooling rack for 10–15 minutes before serving.
These rolls shine on a holiday table but are just as perfect with weeknight soups or roast chicken. And the best part is that they freeze like a dream! Make a big batch, store in the freezer, and future-you will thank you on the nights you need a last-minute side of cozy bread.
